Very early this morning Team member Diane Blakeley departed her home to meet up with the Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Bolton Daybreak for an 07.30hrs breakfast, to which she had been invited to give a presentation on the team.

There follows below an account of the mornings presentation by Diane Blakeley.

“Early this morning I attended the weekly meeting of the Bolton Daybreak Rotary Club at the Britannia Hotel, Bolton, as their Guest After Breakfast Speaker on behalf of the team. I was greeted by Rotarian John Shepley, Speakers Secretary. John and I were neighbours when I was a toddler living in Little Lever (yes a long time ago) and in the knowledge that I was the speaker, John?s wife Christine also attended the meeting. John also twenty two years ago used to be Garry’s (Our Team Leader) Director when he worked for Bolton MBC. John was always very supportive and understanding of the teams’ work and would allow Garry to attend as many call outs as was possible.

I was introduced to the President Elect, Rotarian Bob Collins, and was soon tucking into a breakfast of bacon and eggs, whilst we chatted away about the team. After all the Rotary formalities it was my turn to a deliver my talk on Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, complete with my photographs demonstrating how much the team has changed over the last 42 years.

Diane Blakeley with President Elect Bob Collins

The vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Bill Morgan who praised me for my enthusiastic talk, before I answered a range of questions about the teams’ work.

I would like to record a big thank you to all the members for their very kind welcome and for being a very attentive audience.”

Diane with John and Christine Shepley